ACT To Tackle Illegal Charity Bin Dumping
26 September 2013 at 4:53 pm
In a bid to combat the illegal dumping of charity donations, the ACT Government has met with charities to finalise its Code of Practice for the Management of Charity Bins on Public Land.
The code of practice was developed after a six-month trial of measures, including charity bins consolidated into group centre locations, to discover whether they improved the management and reduced the cost of operating charity bins.
Currently charities were responsible for clearing the illegally dumped goods around their bins – but do get fees waivered when taking illegal dumping to the tip.
Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Shane Rattenbury, said the trial was a success and the findings formed the basis for the Code of Practice.
“Charity bins allow the community to support charities with donations of clothing, footwear and blankets, but unfortunately they also tend to attract illegal dumping. This dumping is not only unsightly, but also poses a problem for charity groups and ACT Government staff who are called on to remove it,” Rattenbury said.
“The ACT Government has worked with local charity groups over the past 18 months to develop and test solutions to the problems caused by illegal dumping.
“A six-month trial where charity bins were consolidated into group centre locations showed benefits in significantly reducing the spread of illegal dumping and allowing more targeted enforcement activities, while not causing any significant decrease in the amount of usable donated items – despite the reduction in charity bins.
“The Code of Practice proposes the extension of this approach throughout Canberra with bins consolidated into larger regional areas where they can be better monitored by passers-by and also by City Rangers.
“The new Code outlines requirements for charity groups to closely manage their locations by emptying the bins and removing accumulated material within 24 hours of it being reported.”
Rattenbury said as part of the consultation process about the Code, shopkeepers and centre managers have also been asked for their thoughts about the location of charity bins.
The Code of Practice is expected to be phased in from December 2013.
